Earlier this month, there were reports of "internal debates" going on at Microsoft regarding the decision to release new Call of Duty games on Game Pass. Well, it seems a decision has been reached.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Microsoft has indeed decided to release the upcoming installment in Call of Duty — rumored to be titled Call of Duty: Black Ops Gulf War — for free through the Game Pass subscription service.
"Microsoft plans a major shake-up of its videogame sales strategy by releasing the coming installment of “Call of Duty” to its subscription service instead of the longtime, lucrative approach of only selling it a la carte," according to the new report.
While Microsoft declined to comment on the rumors, the report claims that an official announcement will be made during the Xbox Games Showcase next month. The annual Xbox Games Showcase will be held on June 9 at 10 a.m. PT and will be followed by a [Redacted] Direct that many believe will be dedicated to Call of Duty. It is here that Microsoft may make the big announcement.
As we previously explained, Call of Duty became a first-party Xbox title when Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard last year. And while Microsoft releases all first-party games through Game Pass on launch day, there were discussions about what to do with Call of Duty since it's one of the biggest video game franchises of all time.
New Call of Duty games typically sell millions of copies and generate billions in revenue. There were some internal concerns at Microsoft that "the revenue that Call of Duty typically generates for Activision Blizzard will be undermined by Game Pass."
A new Call of Duty release typically sells for $69.99 for the Standard Edition. Meanwhile, gamers can pay as low as $9.99 per month for Game Pass which provides them access to this large catalog of games, including new Xbox releases on day one.
We don't know the specifics of Microsoft's plan with Call of Duty, it was speculated that the company could release the game as part of the more expensive Ultimate Tier of Game Pass, which costs $16.99 per month. It was also stated that Microsoft is considering raising the price of Game Pass Ultimate, which would be more likely if Call of Duty were added to the library.
With just a few weeks until the Xbox Games Showcase, we should get clarity soon. Microsoft hasn't yet announced this year's Call of Duty game, but there are rumors that it will be titled Call of Duty: Black Ops Gulf War and take place during the Gulf War. Previous reports claimed the game will be revealed during the showcase which will feature "some form of deep dive into the game, presumably a campaign mission walkthrough if they go traditional."
It's also claimed that Call of Duty: Black Ops Gulf War will be released in October. As a multiplatform franchise, gamers on other platforms, such as PC or PlayStation, will still have to pay full price.